It’s fun to stay at the YMCA.

For several members of the community, and the Selma City Council, it’s also fun to clean it.

Workers were at the Brown YMCA on Saturday morning from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. cleaning and painting the building.

“This spot is a safe haven,” said Ward 8 Councilman Corey Bowie. “It’s a pillar to the community.”

Ward 3 Councilwoman Monica Newton, who was influential in the planning of the clean-up day, was pleased with the progress that was made at the YMCA.

“I think this is a fantastic success,” said Newton. “I think that it is great that we had the bulk of the council people and the mayor here.”

Volunteers and politicians alike scrubbed, mopped, and painted the bathrooms to clean up the YMCA before it opens for the summer.

“It’s been a mix of people young and old, black and white,” said Newton, “coming together hand and hand to better the community.”

Much of the cleaning work was being done by the volunteers, but still more work needs to be done before the YMCA can be finished.

“I am doing a lot of cleaning here,” said Ward 2 Councilwoman Susan Keith. “But we need carpenters for the upstairs computer room. This is a key to their education because a lot of the children don’t have computers at home.”

YMCA program director Sonya Ross was excited about the progress made during the workday Saturday.

“I’m thanking God,” said Ross. “To get the building up to par is really good. I’m really excited about the clean-up day and the community doing it to help.”